Covering for balloons and the like.



rifugi y w tor Bnlloous und the like, ot Wliioli the :iol1

lowing is a speciiioetion..

viele means for harmless tlie elec-- tricel charges which ore formed on iiiisliiios, balloons und Ltlie like, in consequence electricity in the oir or of tlie t'riction oi une l ges iii passing out oit tlie balloon. l According tol tliis invention tbe 'cover ol tlie 4bolloon ortlie like is proviieol with :i coating ot electrically conducting substance. l y this ineens' tbe bnlloon or eirsliip, is either reiifleiecl incapable oreceivingF or :iccuninloting un electrical charge or at leest it is ceusecl-to acquire the potentiel et its our rounrliiigs in a minimum perioel oil" time.

lltediuin `nee the property ot ionizing the surrounding nir iii proportion to its quaintity. eiractly determined quantity of rooluni is, lioweiier, always onlyr able to conm luct un exactly determined quuntity ot electricity in e unit ot time, this quantity being;

which is produced by tlie quantity of rarlinm in the unit of time.

As records the purposes of 'this inifeiitioii, enorme s quantities of electricity have to be o.; Clenlt with, :incl further the capacities ot the ions ports of tlie balloon litter Very inncli corciiiig to tbe shape of the nir-shipw New i J point ot tlie uirliiyp should, become eben-Teil with electricity 'by induction 'or other means, .then en immediate estublishnient ot n state of equilibrium, tlizit is to soy, en instantaneous discharge, clin only taire place without (longer, it there :ire sufficient quuiititics of i'zuliuiii :it this point. lf,.lio`w emr, every point of the :iii-ship heel to (leal n li the liigili potentiels tliut come iiito question, tlic cost of suoli protection would be niony times than tlie value, olf' the structure which is to be protected.

lilou' according to this invention tlie en 'tire covering; of the balloon is made electrically conducting, by ine-ins of a` 'metallic peciilcetion of Letters Extent.

'lliis invention bos tor its object to prof of the f y,etiy proportionate to the number ot ions4 lllotentetl liyir. El., lul@ .llmplicotion illes?. September $29, 1913. Serial No. 792,!l2.

coating, so that tlie potential 'will be equal at :ill points of tlie saine.` Qllie amount ot' electricity which is thereby distributed unitormy over tl-ie'A entire sliip will be disf charged by the radioactivity of tlie small quantity ot radium provided at o suitable point ot the balloon covering. The result of this improved arrangement is that it is vnot only the small quantity ot radium ottlie discharging place that coperetefiin fliscliiiigthe electricity wiiile the rest of the raoiui'n provided on tlie balloon is inoperative,

but the entire quontity ot" radium used on tlie balloon eltectstlie purpose in View iii tlie seme nimmer es it tlieentire eirsbipv were surrounrleol with innumerable light-l ning conductors.

The rendering the balloon rudio-active can be accomplished .in various Ways. Thus tlie radium can lie applied-to tbe inetil coutiiig of tlie 'cover either to tbe outer surface ortlie inner surliiice of the cover, and either ait-one place or :it several pieces thereof in form oe solution, soy o rubbersolution, or in any other-suitable marmer.' ln cose et applying the radium to the inner surface ol the cover, .the radium seri/es tlie purpose to render the electricity contained in the balloon, or developed therein during the ilight,

innocuous. V

@Wing to' the'electrically conducting metal the entire quantity of radium is octivc, lc-v" oorrling to experiments .made one milligram of radium would sulilce tor aballoon surface of one thousand square meters.

Whitt We claim is:

l. A covering" :lor balloons@A airships, ete, l

which is provided with an electrically conducting coating und is treated with o radio 'active substance.

2. A covering for balloons, airsliips, etc., which is provided with a metal coating und is treated with o radioactive substance.

ln testimony whereof We have signed ourn names to this speeicatiori in the presence oit two subscribing Witiiesses.- y

- Dn. MAK MUSZllUl/VSKI. ALWlN LUEWENTHAL.

Witnesses:

lllToLDnMAii HAUPT, v HENRY HASPER.

lili 

